After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia:Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne.
Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human.
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.”
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne.
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, and when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
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